Petr Baum, photo: archive of Radio PragueWe will talk mainly about your dad, or your parents, traveler, Mr. Jiri Baum and your mother Mrs. Ruzena Baum, born Fikejsová. I would just remind very briefly the basic data.Your dad was born in 1900 and his first journey into the world of the actually issued during his studies. Is that so?

“It is.’s First few trips, because a study completed at the end of the 20s.”

A little eternal student …

“A little. Meantime, had already made four or five trips abroad.”

Where led his first journey?

“The first path led to the United States, where he went on an expatriate studying with a friend. Drove America from New York south to Florida and back.”

How old was he when years?

“I think twenty or twenty-one. Had both an interest to get acquainted with the nature of the American continent, and, secondly, interested in fur farming because they thought it would be interesting to poorer regions in the former Czechoslovakia.”

There was interesting that they were going on a journey across the United States on foot or by bike. It looks absolutely incredible. As it finally passed?

“They rode the bike, but got round very poor quality, so soon crumbled. Then they advise people to continue hitchhiking. So most of the trip went hitchhiking. Ran quite a lot. Then there a few months grew cucumbers and proceeds wanted to buy a car. This year, however, a lot of cucumber fruit thereof, and for them to get just any old a Ford, which is now practically fell apart again. least at her but learned to drive. “

Photo: Dr. archive. George BaumThen my father came and began studying at the Faculty of Science. This is a big break after business school to start studying science. And I noted at the outset that he became Arachnologists. Is that so?

“Yes, ornithologist and Arachnologists, that’s right. Neither was the turning point, the business school was more of a step sideways. Since childhood he was interested in nature. Preserved scrapbook, when I was a kid everything that was in the newspaper about animals, nalepoval and hid. So he basically went in what interested him since childhood. “

His family in this study did not lower?

“I believe that the family was clearly thrilled because it did not look as economically viable. And I was not., But not hinder him from doing it and basically life support.”

I is not asking for the reason that your dad later traveled really my whole life. It traveled at their own expense?

“He traveled at his own expense.”

Although the collection from his travels provided the National Museum? Supported him somehow?

“No. Absolutely not economically. Obviously that worked with the National Museum, he facilitated access to similar organizations in the world. In that sense, it was very valuable. Otherwise, you have to organize everything but himself. Course I found myself also sources of income. Published books, made lectures. Cestovatelství not a completely zero output financially., but without family support would not work. “

Where have you been? Or vice versa I ask because it is a long list of countries: where do not? And I guess it was not Siberia …

Photo: Dr. archive. George Baum“It was not Siberia, it was not Russia. This is not his fault, he planned to go to Russia or the Soviet Union, but did not get permission from the Soviets.”

The reason he never communicated?

“This is a family tradition, but basically the blame. I think there just accepted people where they were sure that they will look at things positively. And there was more assurance that they will look objectively.”

And when he returned from the United States, studied here, then where was he?Describe a little of his journey …

“After returning from the United States was another expedition to South America, in Brazil, where it has been quite a long time. Was there two years. Had there with some relatives farmičku and maybe half wondered if there does not settle. Then but in Brazil the revolution broke out, everything is turned upside down there. And as such, I think that the father had more interest to remain in the country. On the whole thought was a Czech. “

Then by Czech Africa was in Australia …

“In Malaysia was, in present-day Indonesia, Africa has been several times in Western, Eastern, Morocco. Was then journey across Africa. Recent trip was to Africa again, this time to South Africa. Meanwhile the world tour visited Japan, Philippines and the United States again, this time west coast. A practically covered all the continents except Antarctica. “

On the road with the sculptor PV Foit, source: Czech TVI read that one of these trips took a sculptor went a little tatřičkou, which of course drove the sculptural work of his fellow travelers. How was it?

“It was the 12th Tatra It is absolutely inconceivable that the car stayed! Large part of the trip was so overloaded that went all the way. Pera simply did not exist. And in some sections of roads were hills so steep that they had to back away because of twelve had a slower return than one. “

My father, as you probably all travelers, kept a diary. It was by them ever really on the edge? It was ever so dangerous that be did not know if all of the way back?

“I think it is impossible to say. Knew how I would probably list a few events that actually were on the edge, but it was rather small events. Maybe in Australia has become the exchanged wheel on the car jack is smeknul and pinched him hand. were with his wife in the middle of nowhere, and he was basically trapped in the vehicle structure. managed to solve it yet. was more like the things of this type. Pak also had malaria, which also could be on the edge. “

Do any life-threatening situations, but did not get in the way?

“Until such cinematic dramatic situations Sun said that adventures are a sign of bad training.”

In an interview with Peter Baum about his father, George Baum travelers, we will continue again for a week.

http://www.radio.cz/cz/rubrika/krajane/cestovatel-jiri-baum-dobrodruzstvi-na-cestach-je-znakem-spatne-pripravy-1